Machine for producing coated material



Aug. 23, 1938. R. w. B. READE MACHINE FOR PRODUCING COATED MATERIAL Filed Nov. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3, 1938. R. w. B. READE 2,128,190

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING COATED MATERIAL Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT area oo o'er-ice mom son monocmo coA'rED m'raam.

a corporation of Iliin Application November as, 1934. Serial No. 755,118 a cmm. (or. 91-31) This invention relates to a machine for producing coated material and has particular rela-' tion to the manufacture of roofing material coated with a substance having a. desired surface eflect or texture generally known in the art as a corrugated surface.

Prepared roofing materials are ordinarily produced by a continuous process whereby a web or foundation sheet 'of 'felt or other material is losaturated or impregnated with an asphalt or other substance having a. relatively low melting point and thereafter coated on one or both faces with an asphalt or other substance having a relatively high melting point in order to withstand 16 the heat of the sun and the action of other elements. In this coating process, coating rolls are ordinarily employed to apply the coating. substance in the desired manner after the web or foundation sheet has been immersed therein, and 20 it has heretofore been the practice'to have these coating rolls either driven at a peripheral speed corresponding to the lineal speed of the sheet or to have them driven at a much lower speed or maintained stationary.

The stationary roll arrangement has been used extensively in the manufacture of smooth surfaced roofiing material, and in this manner the amount 'of coating on the sheets is calipered to the desired thickness. This arrangement is subject to 30 the disadvantage, however, that small particles of foreign' material sometimes accumulate into lumps and wedge themselves between the coating rolls where the sheet enters and thereby cause streaks in the roofing. In order to avoid this,'it 35 has been customary in some instancesto turn these rolls very'slowly, for example, at two or three revolutions per minute, which may give a peripheral speed corresponding to not more than 5% of the lineal speed of the sheet passing 40 'through the rolls. In this way any foreign material is carried along between the rolls and the streaks in the sheets are thus prevented and wastage of material is thereby avoided.

In the manufacture of the so-called corrugated 45 surface roofing material having a leather-like grain or so-called grapevine finish, it is customary to turn the coating rolls at a peripheral speed corresponding to the lineal speed of the sheet passing between the rolls. While this arrange- 50 ment may give satisfactory results under some conditions, difiiculty has been encountered in many cases in that the grain or texture of the sur- I used is quite thick or where the rolls are relatively large in diameter.

I have discovered that this objectionable feature may be overcome by operating the coating rolls at a peripheral speed greater than the lineal 5 speed of the sheet, and, further, that the grain or surface effect may be varied within desired limits by varying the amount of excess speed of the rolls. It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an apparatus for producing roofing material of the desired grain or surface effect by operating the coating rolls at a peripheral speed greater than the lineal speed of the sheet. and to produce different desired surface effects by varying the speed of operation of the coating rolls with relation to the speed of the sheet.

It is desirable to have a roofing machine so arranged that various types of roofing material may be produced thereby without extensive changes in the set-up of the machine and it is therefore a further object of my invention to provide a simple means whereby the coating rolls may be operated at any desired speed or may be maintained stationary if desired, so that any desired surface effect on any desired type of material may be produced without resorting to a change of rolls from one size to another or other mechanical changes.

The invention will be more fully understood and other objects and advantages thereof will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the ining the essential features of a speed change mechanism embodied in the machine;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, partlyin section and partly in elevation, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the arrangement and mode of operation of the coating rolls; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing the surface ap- 5o pearance of sheets of material coated in accordance with the invention but under difierent conditions, whereby different surface effects are obtained. l

Referring first'to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings,

the machine there illustrated comprises a suitable, support II for a roll l2 of the sheet material.

tobecoated. This material is first passed through a device II known as a "looper'," wherein any desired preliminary treatment may be applied to the sheet. This type of device is well known in the art and requires no detailed description herein because it does not constitute a part of the invention, being illustrated merely to assist in showing the relationship of the invention to the machine as-a whole.

From the iooper II the web of material l2a passes through a vat l4 in a number of'loops to be impregnated with a suitable saturant contained in the vat.-- The web emerging from the saturator, as shown at i2b, is passed through another looper ll wherein any desired further treatment may be carried out to prepare the saturated web for the application of the coating material thereto.

The web passes from the looper ll, as indicated at l2c, to a coating tank it wherein the desired coating material is applied thereto. This material, ordinarily consisting of a form of asphalt, is relatively thick and viscid and the application thereof to the web is governed by upper and lower coating rolls l1- and II, between which the web is drawn. The web leaving the coating rolls, as

shown at l2d, passes through the remaining portions of the machine, designated generally by the reference character It, and any desired subsequent treatment may be thus given to the coated'material thereby. Inasmuch as the present invention has to do with the coating process and apparatus, however, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate or describe any further details of the machine, which may be of any desired and well-known type, except to say that the coated sheet is drawn through the entire machine independently of any movement of the coating rolls.

The machine may be driven by an electric I motor connected through suitable transmission means 2! to a main line shaft 22 from which the various parts of the machine, including the loopers and I! and the saturator i4, are individually driven. The shaft 22 extends through a speed change mechanism designated generally by the reference character 22 and the coating in Figs. 3 and 4. will be seen that the shaft 22 carries a bevel gear rolls l1 and II are driven from the shaft 22 through this mechanism, as illustrated in detail Referring to these figures, it

24 which intermeshes with a bevel gear 25 secured to a shaft 28, to the opposite end of which is secured the driving element of a clutch 21. The driven element of this clutch is secured to a shaft 28 which drives the coating rolls l1 and it through suitable gearing, including a driving gear 20 secured to the shaft 28 and intermeshing with a gear 20 secured to the shaft of the roll 18. The gear 30, in turn, intermeshes with a similar gear 200 secured to the shaft of the roll i1, and the direction of drive is such that the two rolls are driven in the respective directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4. Thus, the opposed faces of the rolls, contacting with the opposite faces of the coated sheet, have the same direction of movement as the sheet.

The main line shaft 22 also carries a bevel gear Ii intermeshing with a bevel gear 32 secured to a shaft 33 to which are also secured the driving elements of clutches I4, 3!, and It. The driven elements of these clutches respectively carry sprocket wheels 31, II', and It, which drive sprocket wheels 4|, 4i, and 42 by means 0! sprocket chains 43. 44, and 4|. The sprocket wheel 40 is secured to a countershaft 48, which also carries a sprocket wheel 41, driving a sprocket wheel 48 by means of a connecting sprocket chain 49. The sprocket wheels 4|, 42, and 48 are all secured to 2| which is adapted to be selectively driven through the three sprocket .wheeland chain connections described, as well as to be directly driven through the. clutch 21.

the roll driving shaft- 1 The clutches 21, 34, SI, and II are controlled stationary, said rolls will serve merely as calipering means to regulate the thickness of the coated sheet as desired. In order to avoid the hereinbefore-mentioned disadvantagesv of using entirely stationary rolls, however, the clutch 24 may be engaged to drive the rolls at every slow rate of speed, which is obtained by reason of the double reduction through the sprocket wheels 31 and 40 and the sprocket wheels 41 and 48.

For the type of operation in which it is desired to operate the rolls l1 and it at a peripheral speed corresponding to the lineal speed of the sheet being coated, the clutch 21 may be engaged to effect a. direct driving connection between the shafts 2B and 28, the diameter of the rolls and the total ratio of the drive being such as to produce that result. This ratio, as well as the other ratios herein mentioned, will, of course, be preserved independently of the actual speed of operation of the entire machine, which may vary under difl'erent conditions. g

The principal object of the invention, consisting in driving the coating rolls at a peripheral speed greater than the lineal speed of the sheet being coated, is accomplished by manipulation of the clutches 35 and 36-. When the clutch 35 is engaged, the driving connection to the rolls is completed through the sprocket wheels ll and 4!, and, when the clutch 36 is engaged, the driving connection is completed through the sprocket wheels 39 and 42. The former connection may suitably provide such a driving ratio as to operate the rolls at a peripheral speed equal to 150% of the lineal speed of the sheet, which I have found to produce particularly satisfactory results, and the latter connection may, for example, produce a peripheral roll speed equal to ofthe sheet speed. It will be understood, of course, that as many different speed ratios as desired may be provided and that peripheral roll speeds even greater than of the-sheet speed may be utilized to advantage in some cases.

I have found that by increasing the peripheral speed of the rolls above the sheet speed an improved surface appearance is produced, even when the coating substance is particularly thick and ferent excess speed ratios provided, the variations in effect being due to the different char- 75- ,When the machine is operated with the rolls stance to the rolls at the different speeds of the latter. As shown in Fig. 4, the web I2c,- after application of the coating substance to both surfaces thereof, as indicated 'at 54, ll, passes through the nip of the rolls I! and it 'where the application oi" the'coating with the desired uni i'ormity is' completed. As the web lid. emerges from the rolls the coating substance adheres to the latter and strings out as indicated at 65, II,

by reason of its viscid nature. Depending upon the ratio of the peripheralspeed of the rolls to the lineal speed of the sheet.

these stringy particles of the coating substance will be drawn out to a greater or lesser extent before rupturing or pulling free of the rolls and will consequently produce different surface effects upon the coated sheet. The modulus of elasticity of the coating substance is such that it will stretch out to some extent in any event, but the extent of stretching will decrease as the speed of the rolls is increased. In other words, when the strings of materials are drawn out relatively rapidly, they will rupture or separate from the rolls more rapidly than if they are pulled out relatively slowly, .and it is by reason of this action that the variation in the speed of the rolls may be utilised to produce the desired different surface effects on the coated material. The eflect may also be enhanced or modified by the variations in centrifugal force due to the changes in roll speed. 7

The shorter the grain that is desired, the more the speed of the rolls is increased over the speed of the sheet. For example, Fig. 5 of the drawings illustrates the fine grain appearance of the product turned out when the rolls are operated at one speed ratio above the sheet speed, while Fig. 6

illustrates the coarser grained product made at a somewhat smaller increase of roll speed over the sheet speed. These products, if made with the coating rolls operating at a peripheral speed equivalent to 'or less than the lineal speed of the sheet, but otherwise under the same conditions, would have an excessively coarse grain which would not be satisfactory.

For other types of products, however, it may be desirable to operate the machine with the coating rolls turning at a-peripheral speed corresponding to or less than the lineal speed of' the sheet, or to maintain the rolls stationary. The speed change mechanism herein disclosed, therefore, is adaptable to all of the conditions under which the machine may be operated, because it provides means for disconnecting the rolls from the driving means so that they can be maintained stationary and means for driving the rolls either at a very low rate of speed or at a speed corresponding to the sheet speed, as well as providing a selection of increased speeds which are desirable under certain conditions of operation.

The various speed changes are readily eifected by simply engaging the required one of the clutches 21, 34, 35, or 36 (or by leaving them all disengaged) by means of the operating handles 50, Si, 52, and 53. Much time is saved in changing the machine over from one type of operation to another, because it is unnecessary to provide a number of sets of rolls of different sizes to be interchanged for producing different results, and no other mechanical changes, except the selection of the desired roll speed by means of the change speed mechanism, are required. 4

while only one specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various changes'and modifications in the details of design and arrangement of parts of the app ratus and in the mode ofcarryi'ng out the process may be made-without departing from the spirit and scope of. the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, the sheet may be coated on either one or both surfaces, as desired, and any desired speed ratios other than those specifically mentioned herein may be provided for'the operation of the coating rolls. It will also be understood that the rolls as well as other parts of the machine may be driven by any desired type of driving means or connections.

What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, therefore, is:

1. A machine for producing coated sheet material, comprising means for applying a coating substance to a sheet, roller means engaging the sheet thus coated to produce a desired surface effect on the coating substance, means for advancing the sheet in contact with the roller means independently of the operation of the latter, and selective means for rotatively driving said roller means at different speeds to produce different surface eflects on said coated material. v

2. A machine for producing coated sheet material, comprising means for applying a coating substance to both surfaces of a sheet, a pair of coating rolls' engaging the opposite faces of the sheet thus coated to produce a desired surface effect on the coating substance, means for advancing the sheet in contact with the coating rolls independently of the 'operation of the latter, and selective means for rotatively driving said coating rolls at different speeds to produce differ-l cut surface eflects on said coated material.

3. A machine for producing coated sheet material, comprising means for applying a coating substance to a sheet, roller means engaging the sheet thus coated to produce a desired surface eiiect on the coating substance, means for advancing the sheet in contact with the roller means independently of the operation of the latter, and selective means for rotatively driving said roller means at different peripheral speeds in excess of the rate at which the sheet is being advanced, and in the .same direction therewith, to produce different surface effects on said coated material.

4:. A machine for producing coated sheet material, comprising means for applying a coating substance to a sheet. roller means engaging the sheet thus coated to produce a desired surface effect on the coating substance, means for advancing the sheet in contact with the roller means independently of the operation'of the latter, driving means connected to said advancing means,

and variable speed transmission means between said driving means and said roller means for rotatively driving the latter at different speeds to Q produce different surface effects on said coated material.

5. A machine for producing coated sheet ma- :terial, comprising/means for applying a coating substance to both surfaces of a sheet, a-pair of coating rolls engaging the opposite faces of the sheet thus coated to produce a desired surface effect on the coating substance, means for advancing the sheet in contact with the coating rolls being advanced, and in the same direction therewith, to produce a desired surface effect on said coated material.

.7. A machine for producing coated sheet material, comprising means for applying a coating substance to a sheet, roller means engaging the sheet thus coated, means for advancing the sheet in contact with the roller means independently of the operation of the latter, and means for rotatively driving the roller means at a peripheral speed equal to approximately 150% of the rate at which the sheet is being advanced, and in the same direction therewith, to produce a desired surface effect on said coated material.

8. A machine for producing coated sheet material, comprising means for applying a coating substance to both surfaces of a sheet, a pair of coating rolls-engaging the opposite faces of the sheet thus coated, means for advancing the sheet in contact-with the coating rolls independently of the operation of the latter, and means for rotatively driving the coating rolls at a peripheral speed in excess of the rate at which the sheet.

is being advanced, and in the same direction therewith, to produce a desired surface effect on said coated material.

9. A machine for producing coated sheet material, comprising means for applying a coating substance to both surfaces of a sheet, a pair of'coating rolls engaging the opposite faces of the sheet thus coated, means for advancing the sheet in contact-with the coating rolls independently of the operation of the latter, and means for rotatively driving the coating rolls at a peripheral speed equal to approximately 150% of the rate at which the sheet is being advanced, and in the same direction therewith to produce a desired surface efl'ect on said coated material.

RALPH W. B. READE. 

